Controlling means for fluidoperated machines



B. JORGENSEN Feb. 12, 1952 CONTROLLING MEANS FOR FLUID-OPERATED MACHlNESFiled July 6, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 In 1/ e nzfor? Bernhardt Jorgense na By his flizor' B. JORGENSEN 2,585,131

CONTROLLING MEANS FOR FLUID-OPERATED MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledJuly '6', 1949 [rm/e ntor Bernhardf Jorgerz sen 9B5 his Ifiofneu Feb.12, 1952 a. JORGENSEN CONTROLLING MEANS FOR FLUID-OPERATED MACHINESFiled July 6, 1949 4 Shets-Sheet 5 8 0 W .i m 6 5 0, 24 A 4 4 5 5 w//O,//.M 9 4/ 2 g w m y 6 m M 2. w \2 5 I y mw %m 0 4 4 4 Feb. 12, 19524 JORGENSEN' 2,585,131

CONTROLLING MEANS FOR FLUID-OPERATED MACHINES Filed July 6, 1949 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor Bernhardt Jorgensen Patented Feb. 12, 1952contreotmncv MEANS roe FLUID- orc'mrcn MACHINES Marblehead', Mass, as

Bernhardt Jorgen'sen;

signor to U'ni-ted Shoe Machinery Corporation;-

Flemington; N; J 2, a; corporation of New Jersey- Application J 1115? 6;1949; Serial No; v 103,217-

3'. Claims;-

This invention relates to fluid-operated machines; and more particularlyto means for -controlling the operation of such machines; The inventionis hereinshown as applied to a-fluid operated toe-lasting machine foruse inthe manufacture of' shoes, constructed generallya's disclosed inUnited States Letters Patent No. 2-,324509, gran-ted on July 26-, 1943on-an-app1ication of'm-ine, but it will be understood 'thatitisnot-limited to machines ofthat particular character.

- The-machine: shownin the-above-mentioned Letters Patent includesin itsorganization a plu rality f fluid-operated .mechanisms, valves =forcontrolling the admission of operating fluidre-- spectively to thedifferent mechanisms from a pressure chamber in which the fluid,preferably light oil, is maintained under. pressure by a pnmp andcontrolling means rotatable intone directionto initiate. the operationsof the dif ferent mechanisms in .predetermined;.time rela tionto oneanother by control of :the. valves. The controlling means is 1 thusrotated bysalpiston movable in .aucylindento one end of whichfluid isadmitted from the pressureichamber andgirom r which the fluid isthereafter. released to stop; the operation of the machine. Upon such.releasezof: the fluidthe piston. le -moved reversely to :itstirr-vitialposition, without reverse rotation; of: the controlling 7 means,by, a spring; wound around thea-xis of the controlling means andsubjected to stress by the operativemovement of the piston r To controlvariably, the speed.ofnperationrofethe machine, this piston has-rigidlyconnected-there to another piston movable in a second-cylinder from-oneend of which it expels fluid-pasteuadjustable needle valve whenthezmaehine: is:

operating and: into which it draws flu-id. by;.suc.-,- tion from areservoir or sump; whenthafirst mentioned piston is returned bythespring.

The present. invention provides means whereby the reverse movement ofthe fluid-operated, member. which operates, the rotatable. valve.-controlling means is eifected. also by fluidpress sure, theabove-mentioned .springbeingeliminated. To this end, the construction.herein shown includes a pressure-controlled valve which,- in response tothe drop in the pressure .of the fluid in the first above-mentionedcylirldrwhen.

the fluid is released from that'cylinder, admitsfluid under pressure to1 the second cylinder, to act on the piston therein and thereby toeffect the reverse movementof the'firstmentioned jpislton. When fluidunder pressure is admitted .;to the first-mentioned'cylinder'tooperatethe rotatable valve=control-ling means; the' pressure c'ontrolled valve,in responselto the pressure of "the: fluid, thus admitted, moves into'position to interrupt' communication between the second cylinder and thesource of fluid under pressure, the subsequent exhaust of the fluid.from the second cylinder as, the first-mentioned piston is oper'ated'being, .adjustably restricted to determinetthe speed 'ofrotation"of the. valve-controlled means; To assist "in' avoidingthe presence intheili'duidi fluid'of-any air such as mightcause'theavalve controllingmeans to run'irregularly; a passage-'- way is provided" for exhaust of:the timid from: the secondcylinder' into achamber: inopencom municationwith the" inactive ends'of bothcyl inders; the. chamber having an?outlet for the fluid at sucha height as to' keep" the chamberv and theabove passageway full ofthe fluid;

Thenovel-features of the invention willnow' bemore particularlydescribed with reference to-the accompanying drawings and" thereafterpointed out in the claims.-

In the'drawings, I

Fig-; 1 is -a'-viewpartly in -lef-t=-hand'side eleva tion and partlyinsection of'a portiorr'ofthe machine to which the invention isherein'shown as applied:

Fig; 2 is a view of a portionof the machine" imright-hand sideelevation; with-parts'broken away;' I

Fig; .3 is mainly a section on the-line of.Fig.;2; and

4 is mainly a diagrammatic view-illustrating; the .manner in-whiclrfluidpressurcisutilized" in the operation and. controlaof..thexmachine. I

In.. view of the-disclosurein the: aboveemem tioned LettersPatent .onlya as muchof the ima=- chine to which the invention-is hereinwshown as:applied as it is. necessary to refer" to ion anun-e derstanding, oftheinvention will-be .hereinr des scribed. 'Themachine-is providedwithalplurale ity' of fluid-"operated mechanisms whichlareLop-q eratedin predetermined time relation to. one. anotheninthe' courseof a cycleof vautomatic operations of-the machine. Portions of two, of. thesemechanisms; each-comprising a, pair of cylinder-'and-pis'tondevice's;are-shown'diagram= matically in- 4 and areidentifledrespectively by thereference characters Z 'and- 4 The sev eral: mechanisms: aresuppliedwith operating fluid at: the; appropriate :times in; the':-cycle or" operations through automatically! controlled: valves .5 yfrom.arsource of supply; of fluid: under; pressure comprising a -.-chamber. 8s formed in: a casting.,.l0 securedrtothexllowerflface of alh'orizontalfpl'ate, I21 which serves. as :a closure for' the top of thechamber. Secured also to the plate I2 is a casting I4 which provides areservoir or sump I5 for fluid not under pressure, the casting I0 beinglocated in the upper portion of the sump. A pump I6 (Fig. 4) drivencontinuously by an electric motor I8 draws fluid, preferably light oil,from the sump and delivers the fluid through a pipe 28 into the chamber8. When the machine is not in operation the fluid is returned from thechamber 8 to the sump, without developing the required full operatingpressure in the chamber, through a sleeve valve 22 constructedsubstantially as disclosed in the previously mentioned Letters Patent.Through mechanism not herein fully shown but constructed as alsodisclosed in said Letters Patent the valve 22 is operated prior to eachcycle of operations of the machine by depression of a treadle 24(Fig. 1) to close the outlet from the chamber 8 and thus to cause thedevelopment of the necessary pressure in the chamber, the pressure beinglimited by a spring-controlled relief valve 26 past which the excessfluid delivered by the pump flows through a bypass 28 back to the sump.

The cycle of operations corresponds to one complete revolution of avalve-controlling device which in the construction herein shown, inaccordance more particularly with the disclosure of Letters Patent No'.2,367,782, granted on January 23, 1945 on an application of mine,comprises a drum 30 having thereon a plurality of fingers, some of whichare shown at 32 in Fig. 4, for moving the'valves 6 at the proper timesto admit operating fluid to the several fluid-operated mechanisms andfor thereafter releasing the valves to permit them to be returned bysprings into positions to release the fluid from the mechanisms. Thevalves are located in the upper portion of the sump at opposite sides ofthe chamber 8, and the fluid thus released by the valves returns to thesump. Also carried by the drum is a finger 34 which at the end of thecycle causes the valve 22 to return to its initial position to releasethe fluid from the chamber 8.

. The drum 30, in the construction herein shown, is provided at one endwith a shaft 36 (Fig. 3)

rotatable in a bearing formed in a bracket 38 which is mounted on theplate I 2, and at the other end with a shaft 40 rotatable in a casting42 on the plate I2 and in a bearing member 44 secured to this casting.The drum is turned in the direction of the arrow a (Fig. .1) by afluidoperated piston 48 (Fig. 2) mounted in a cylinder 48 secured .tothe casting 42. To turn the drum in that direction there is provided aone-way clutch 58 which in the construction herein shown is a Hortonclutch comprising a member 52 keyed to the shaft 40 and an annularmember 54 encircling the member 52. Mounted in recesses in the member 52are rolls 56 controlled by springs 58 and serving to couple the member54 to the member 52 when the member 54 is turned in the direction of thearrow a but to permit the member 54 to turn freely in the reversedirection on the member 52. To insure that the drum 30 will not beturned in the reverse direction there is mounted on the shaft 36 (Fig.3) a spring 60 which is under compression between a washer 62 confinedby a nut 64 on the end of the shaft and another washer 66 in frictionalengagement with a fiat face of the bracket 38. The annular clutch member54 has on its periphery a series of gear teeth 68 in engagement withteeth 10 formed on a piston rod 12 to one end of which the piston 46 issecured, the piston rod in the construction herein shown being locatedbelow the clutch.

Fluid is admitted to the cylinder 48 to operate the piston 48 and isthereafter exhausted or released therefrom through a pipe 14communicating with the outer end of the cylinder, the admission andexhaust of the fluid being controlled by a valve 76 (Fig. 1). Asdisclosed in Letters Patent No. 2,324,509, this valve is a sleeve valveslidingly mounted on a tube 78 which is confined between the casting I 0and a member 88 provided with a passageway 82 in communication with thepipe 14. One end of the tube 18 is in communication with the chamber 8and the other end with the passageway 82, and between its ends the tubeis divided by a partition 84. Extending through the tube at one side ofthis partition are ports 86 and at the other side of the partition ports88. The valve 76 has therein an annular recess 88 through which theports 86 and 88 may communicate with one another to supply fluid fromthe chamber 8 to the cylinder 48. Initially, however, as shown in Fig.1, the valve is positioned against the casting II) with the ports 88uncovered and open to the sump. Movement of the valve toward the rightwith reference to Fig. 1 to admit fluid to the cylinder 48 is effectedby swinging movement of an arm 92 the lower end of which is connected tothe valve and the upper end of which is pivotally mounted on a pin 94supported on a bracket 96 on the plate I2. A spring 98 connected to thearm 92 holds the valve initially against the casting I8. Also pivotallymounted on the pin 94 is a two-part lever I by movement of which in acounterclockwise direction with reference to Fig. 1 the arm 92 is swungagainst the resistance of the spring 98, the lever thus acting on thearm through a spring 99. The two parts of the lever I80 are pivotallyconnected together by a pin I02 but are held normally in a fixedrelation to each other by a spring I04 connected to pins on the twoparts, the relation of the two parts to each other being determined byengagement of a lug on one part with a shoulder I86 on the other part.Also pivotally mounted on the pin I02 is a latch member I08 which isnormally held by a spring I I0 in engagement with a vertical face on thebracket 96 and is swung by the spring into a notch H2 in the bracketwhen the lever I80 is swung in the direction to operate the valve 16. Bythis latch, therefore, the valve is retained in position to admit thefluid to the cylinder 48. The latch is swung in a clockwise direction torelease the lever I 00 and thus to permit the valve 16 to be returned toits initial position by the spring 98 by means of a lever II4 which ispivotally mounted on the pin 84 and one arm of which bears upwardlyagainst a shoulder on the latch, the arm being held against thisshoulder by a light spring II6 connected to the lever H4. The lever H4is thus operated at the proper time to stop the machine at the end ofthe cycle by the engagement of a finger I I8 on the drum 38 therewith,the finger passing beyond the lever prior to the completion of thecycle, as shown in Fig. 1. Another finger I 20 (Figs. 1 and 4) on thedrum acts on the lever II4 to stop the machine before the end of thecycle, for a purpose explained in Letters Patent No. 2,324,509, afterwhich, as further described in said Letters Patent, the valve 76 isoperated automatically to cause the machine to complete the cycle.

It will be understood that movement of the valve 16 to admit fluid tothe cylinder 48 and thus to; .start the rotation of thedrumfiflisefiectegi by upward movement of the front end: of the leverI08, this being the end of theleverwhich isat the right in Fig. 1. Forthus operating the lever there is pivotally connected to a pin I22 onits front end a yoke member I24 in which is slidingly mounted thereduced upper-end ,por tion of a rod 525. This portion of therod'extendsupwardly through the lower end of theyoke and through a transverse wallI28 on the yoke, and between this wall and a collar I30 fast onthe rodis a compression spring I32. Through this spring, therefore, upwardmovement is imparted yieldingly by the rod to the yoke. At its lower endthe rod I26 is connected to one arm: of'a bell-crank lever I34 which ismounted to swing about a pin I26 supported on a bracket I38 at the baseof the machine. The mechanism for operating this bell-crank lever toimpart the-upward movement to the rod In is not herein completes 1y;shown, since the construction isthe same as disclosed in Letters PatentNo. 2,324,509., Such movement of the rod to start the cycle ofoperations is efiected by a second depression of the treadle 2 after thetreadle has been first dev pressed to cause the valve 22 to close theoutlet from the chamber 8 as hereinbefore described. As; furtherdisclosed in the last-mentioned Letters Patent, a latch I40 is arrangedto engage the pin I22 to til near the end of the upward movement of therod I25, whereupon the latch is swung to release the pin and to permitthe spring I32, compressed by the upward movement of the rod, to movethe valve I6 quickly into position to admit the fluid to the cylinder48. I Whenever the valve 15 is returned in the manner above describedinto position to release the fluid from the cylinder is, whether at theend of the cycle or prior to the end of the cycle, the piston isimmediately returned to its initial position. For this purpose, in theconstruction herein shown, a cylinder I42 is secured to the casting 42at the opposite side of the casting from the cylinder 3 and in alinementwith the latter cylinder. Mounted in the cylinder I42 is a piston I44fast on the opposite end of the piston-- rod I2 from the piston at.Mounted in a block I45 fast on the upper end of the casting-42 is avertically movable piston valve I 38 held normally in upraised positionby a spring I which is mounted in a recess in the valve and is seated atits lower end on a plate I52. The valve is provided with an annularrecess I54, and when it is in its normal upraised position, as shown,this annular recess is in communication, through a passageway I in theblock I46, with a pipe I58 leading to the outer end of the cylinder I42.Also in communication with the annular recess in the valve is apassageway I60 in the block I46, this passageway being connected by apipe I62 with the chamber 8. Initially, therefore, thecylinder I42 is incommunication with the chamber 8 through the pipe .I 58, the annularrecess I54 in the valve I40 and the pipe I52 and contains fluid underthe same pressure as that in the chamber 8. Leading from the cylinder 48to a port I64 in the upper end of the block I45 is a pipe I66,the portI6 communicating with an annular recess I63 in the block around theupper end of the valve I48 when the valve is in its uppermost position.When the valve 15, therefore, is moved into position to admit fluidunder pressure from the chamber 8 to the cylinder 40 the same pressureis established through the pipe I66 in the prevent movement of thelever- I00 un- 8 annular recess I 68-and force ihe valved 4.8:d0ym.wardlyv against; the resistance of the spring 450,; the valve engagingthe plate I52 tolimitits down-1 ward movement. This downward.movementqoi thevalve closes thev passageway I56 and thusgine terru-ptscommunication between the chamber;8 and the cylinder I42; Extendingdownwardlyin the-block; I4.6- from the passageway I56 is anotherpassageway I 1 0 in communication at itslower end with aphamber I12 inthe casting 42, this being achamber in which the clutch 50 is locatedand which isin open communication with the-inner. ends of the cylinders48 and I42. Adjustably threaded in the block I46 is a-needle valve I14which partially closes the passageway I10but permitsrestricted flowofthe fluid from the passageway I56 to the chamber I12.- Accordingly; whenthe piston 46 is operated by the fluid admitted-to the cylinder 48 fluidis forced out of the cylinder I42 by the;piston I44, this-fluidflowingthrough the pipe I 58 and through the restrictedpassage I10-into thechamber I12. Leads ing from the upper portion of this chamber isra pipeI16 for conducting fluid from thischamber back to the-sump. This pipe,as shown, extends first upwardly and then downwardly to formsa loop highenough to insure that the chamber I12 and the passageways I56 and I10 inthe block I46 will be at all times full of fluid. This-lea safeguardagainst entrapment of air in the liquid fluid, as is also thefact thatsuch fluid from the chamber I12 always fills any space intlie cylinders48 and I42 at the inner ends of the pistons 46 and I 44. It'will beunderstoodthat the needle valve I14 restricts, as determined by itsadjustment, the flow of the fluid-from'the cylinder I42 when the piston46' is operated and thereby determines the speed at which the-drum 30 isrotated. It will further be understood that when the piston 46 and thevalve I48 are in their initial positions a small quantity of the fluidcon-1 ducted by the pipe I62 from the chamber 8 to the passageway I60and the annular recess I'54'in the valve will escape past the needlevalv'e I14'to the chamber I12 and thence to the sump. This affordsfurther insurance that the chamber [12 will be kept full of the fluid. IWhen the valve 16 is moved reversely into position to release the fluidfrom the cylinder 48 the-drop in;the pressure abovethe valve I48causesthe-valVe. to be returned to its initial position by; thespring,l50. In this manner com-1 munifil rtion; is again establishedthrough the pipes I52 and; I58 between the chamber 8. and. thecylinder;;l42,, so thatthe fluid under pressure is forced intothiscylinder to act on the piston I44 and-thereby; to return, the piston451th its initial positio In; th;is operation, as hereinbeforeexaplained; the annular clutch member 54 turns idly aboutthe member 52, thedrum 30 remaining in the ;position towhich it was previously moved.Sincertheflow of the fluid from the chamber 8 ,to thecylinder I42 andtheflow of the fluidfrom the cylinder 4Bback to thesump are unrestricted,thepistonfifi isreturned very quickly toits initial posi on--.

It-yvill; Ice-evident that when the drum 30comes tO;' a, :SI1Qp; 2, ttheendof thecycle the valve 22will havebeenrnoyedinto-position torelease thefluid from the chamber 8. In the construction herein shown,therefore, the outlet controlled by this valve is suflicientlyrestricted as compared with the capacity of the pump I6 to insure thatenough pressure will still be maintained in the chamber 8 to return thepiston 46 at that time, only a small amount of pressure being requiredfor that purpose. The provision thus afiorded for a small amount ofpressure in the chamber 8 when the pump'is operating and the valve 22 isin open position, and the fact that the cylinder M2 is normally incommunication with the chamber 8, assist in insuring that even thoughthere may be a substantial interval between successive cycles 01'operations of the machine the cylinder I42 will be completely filledwith fluid when the machine is started, thus avoiding the possibility ofany sudden abnormally rapid movement of the piston 46 and the drum 30upon admission of the fluid to the cylinder 48.

' Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a fluid-operated machine, a plurality of fluid-operatedmechanisms, valves for controlling the admission of fluid respectivelyto said different mechanisms, controlling means rotatable in onedirection to initiate the operations of the different mechanisms inpredetermined time relation to one another by control of said valves, asource of liquid fluid under pressure, a member having a chambertherein, a cylinder arranged to extend outwardly from said member andhaving therein a piston movable thus to-rotate said controlling means,said cylinder being open at its inner end to said chamber, valve meansfor admitting fluid from said source to the outer end of said cylinderto operate said piston and for thereafter releasing the fluid therefrom,another cylinder arranged to extend outwardly from said member in theopposite direction from said firstnamed cylinder and having therein apiston connected to said first-named piston to move in unison therewith,said other cylinder also being open at its inner end to said chamber, avalve responsive to the drop in the pressure of the fluid in thefirst-named cylinder when the fluid is released therefrom for admittingfluid from said source to the outer end of said other cylinder to returnsaid first-named piston, means providing a passageway for exhaust offluid from said other cylinder to said chamber when the first-namedpiston is operated, and means providing an outlet for the fluid fromsaid chamber at such a height as to keep the chamber and said passagewayfull of the fluid.

2. In a fluid-operated machine, a plurality of fluid-operatedmechanisms, valves for controlling the admission of fluid respectivelyto said different mechanisms, controlling means rotatable in onedirection to initiate the operations of the different mechanisms inpredetermined time relation to one another by control of said valves, 2.source of liquid fluid under pressure, a member havinga chamber therein,a cylinder arranged to extend outwardly from said member and havingtherein a piston movable thus to rotate said controlling means, saidcylinder being open at its inner end to said chamber, valve means foradmitting fluid from said source to the outer end of said cylinder tooperate said piston and for thereafter releasing the fluid therefrom,another cylinder arranged to extend outwardly from said member in theopposite direction from said flrstnamed cylinder and having therein apiston connected to said first-named piston to move in unison therewith,said other cylinder also being open at its inner end to said chamber andbeing initially in communication at its outer end with said source tomaintain-the first-named piston in initial position, a valve controlledby the pressure of the fluid admitted to said first-named cylinder andmovable by such pressure to interrupt communication between said sourceand said other cylinder, means providing a passageway for exhaust offluid from said other cylinder to said chamber when the fluid isadmitted to the firstnamed cylinder, and means providing an outlet forthe fluid from said chamber at such a height as to keep the chamber andsaid passageway full of the fluid.

3. In a fluid-operated machine, a plurality of fluid-operatedmechanisms, valves for controlling the admission of fluid respectivelyto said different mechanisms, controlling means rotatable inone'direction to initiate the operations of the different mechanisms inpredetermined time relation to one another by control of said valves, asource of liquid fluid under pressure, a member having a chambertherein, a cylinder arranged to extend outwardly from said member andhaving therein a piston movable thus to rotate said controlling means,said cylinder being open at its inner end to said chamber, valve meansfor admitting fluid from said source to the outer end of said cylinderto operate said piston and for thereafter releasing the fluid therefrom,another cylinder arranged to extend outwardly from said member in theopposite direction from said flrstnamed cylinder and having therein apiston connected to said first-named piston to move in unison therewith,said other cylinder also being open at its inner end to said chamber andbeing initially in communication at its outer end with said source tomaintain the first-named piston in initial position, a valve controlledby the pressure of the fluid admitted to said first-named cylinder andmovable by such pressure to interrupt communication between said sourceand said other cylinder, means providing a passageway for exhaust offluid from said other cylinder to said chamber when the fluid isadmitted to the first-named cylinder, and means providing an outlet forthe fluid from said chamber at such a height as to keep the chamber andsaid passageway full of the fluid, said passageway being arranged topermit flow of fluid from said source to said chamber and thence throughsaid outlet when the first-named piston is in its initial position.

BERNHARDT JORGENSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

